139So I have not edited this. At all. Not even a teeeeny bit. So if there are typos... thats why.
Please review! I'm curious to know what the heck you all are thinking about this!
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Anna had been minding her own business the whole morning, working mercilessly on the remaining dock pieces while enjoying the glorious rays of the sun.
The radio on her make shift table of a wooden board and two saw horses was blaring music loudly as she sanded one particular plank down to an even width with the others.
She paused only to take a sip of her iced tea when a sing-song voice erupted from behind her. Anna slowly turned around, setting down her tea, groaned as she saw Connor his dark hair was jutting out in different directions and his green eyes were squinted in the glare of the sun.
"Anna, Anna, Anna." He tutted, strutting towards her, "You missed out on a fun night last night."
"Two days in a row," Anna said, ignoring his comment, "What contest in hell have I won now?"
Connor picked up her iced tea and looked at her disdainfully, "You know," He drawled, "You could be more cheerful - most girls would kill to be in your position right now."
Anna dusted her pants off, simultaneously in disbelief that Connor was that arrogant and that he had actually expected her to be excited to see him!
"I'm not going to bother answering that." She said finally, grabbing her iced tea back.
"Fine," Connor said whimsically, "Don't – but could you at the very least listen to what I have to offer."
Anna crossed her arms with a dignified snort, "This better be good."
"It is." He assured her, "I'll pay you a thousand a week to charter the boat down to the Caymans and back for me and a bunch of the guys."
Anna couldn't help but laugh, "You're kidding right?"
"No, I'm serious." He said, partially offended.
"Well so am I when I say – no way." Anna laughed.
"What?" Connor asked, surprised, "No!" He then concluded, "You didn't even take the time to think about it."
"I didn't have to, Connor," Anna countered, "Any normal female would know enough that when you said yourself and your friends would be alone on a boat stocked with booze for two weeks, to say no!"
"That's not fair!" He whined.
"It's perfectly fair," Anna replied, "You haven't done anything for me – so why should I be the good person all of sudden and help you out?"
"I said I would pay you." Connor repeated, following her as she walked to the other side of the dock partition.
"I don't want your money, Connor." Anna spat.
"Oh please, Ferland," Connor said haughtily, "What college student doesn't want some extra cash?"
"This one." Anna announced firmly.
Connor's temper and arrogance got the better of him, "Who the fuck died and left you a pot of gold, Ferland?"
Anna blanched, again in disbelief he had said something so stupid and set the paint can nearby down harshly on the dock partition, stating slowly, "Think about what you just said, O'Hanley."
"Look," Connor tried, this time actually sounding apologetic, "All I'm saying is that you can't afford to turn this offer down."
Anna resisted the temptation to hurl the can of paint at him, "The last time I checked O'Hanley, there were three things you were good at; wasting your father's money, getting drunk and making everyone around you miserable – not my finances."
Connor was muted after her sharp comment and Anna felt a high from her victory, allowing her to starkly say, "Go back home to your parents and to Jackie Saunders – they care, I don't."
Connor turned back towards his car, saying, "You are such a bitch!"
Anna scoffed and viciously nailed the top of the paint can back as Connor roared out of her driveway.
The following morning at ten o'clock, Connor whirled back into her driveway, his music blaring. He strutted up to her front porch, car keys jingling daintily in his hands, perhaps the third time – or however many this was now – he thought, would be a charm.
After several loud bangs on the door he hollered, "Anna! Open up – I swear, this'll take two seconds! Oh come on!" He whined impatiently.
He stomped around to her back door and glanced at the note she had taped to it:, quickly reading over the huge lettering.
Mr. Carson – I'll be right back! I left early to bring the boat back to the mooring – don't worry – I'll be back by 11 in time for the appointment! – Anna
Connor rolled his eyes, Anna the damn Samaritan – give me a break... He wrenched the note from the door post, a the top of the note still attached, but unreadable and stormed back to his car and sped to the Yacht Club.
The crackling of the crushed sea shells that made up the parking lot was a familiar sound to Connor and those who belonged to the Club as he parked his car.
He traversed through the foyer and out to the docks, stomping down the gang plank and out onto the main dock section. The water lapped gently at the sides of the docks and in the distance birds were chirping, and metal wires from the sail boat's rigging clanged throughout the harbor.
Connor stopped at the Steward's box, "Hey man, what's up?"
Pete Howard, a good friend of Connor's laughed, "Yo! I didn't know you were back yet."
"Yeah, I got back a week ago – things have been a little slow around here, you know?"
"Hell yeah," Pete replied, "So what brings you down here? Your boats aren't even in yet."
"I'm actually looking for Ferland." Connor said quietly.
Pete burst out laughing, "You're shitting me, O'Hanley – The Anna Ferland?"
"No," Connor said, not appreciative of Pete's laughter, "I'm serious, man."
Pete managed to control himself, "She just pulled in to her mooring." He pointed across the river, and Connor could see Anna's house.
"Fuck." He swore, "So she's not stopping by here?"
"I don't know, Connor. Who the fuck do I look like – Miss Cleo?" Pete asked.
Connor scowled, and Pete persisted, "What's going on that you have to talk to her all of a sudden?"
"I need her to charter one of the boats down to the Caymans in two weeks."
"Damn." Pete let out a low whistle, "That's awful rushed... hell," He added, "It ain't even close to open season on the water – you know?"
"Yeah," Connor said pointedly, "But I'm not just gonna sit around at the beginning of the summer doing nothing – especially," He added, "When my parents finally let me take the boat alone to the Caymans, man. The Caymans." He repeated for emphasis.
Connor and Pete ended their conversation, leaving Connor to rush back to Anna's house, the note she had taped to her back door crumpled in his pocket.
When he arrived back at Anna's house, she was seated on her front porch, knees bouncing up and down in nervousness as she stared at the porch boards.
He slammed his door shut, annoyed he had been – in his opinion – forced to chase her around town, "You seriously need to stop working – its summer for Christ's sake."
Anna's head snapped up, "Go away, Connor – I'm leaving soon."
"Yeah, I know." He groveled, "Fucking Mr. Carson has a doctor's appointment."
Anna stood up furiously, surprising Connor, "Don't you talk about him like that!"
"You're not his keeper, Anna!" He said, remaining a few feet from the porch.
"Mind your own business, Connor." She snapped.
"Just listen to me!" He asked.
"No!" She yelled back incredulously.
"I'll keep bothering you then!" He threatened.
"I'll have a restraining order placed." She said darkly.
Connor laughed, "You like my parents too much to do something like that."
Anna scowled, "I'll already said no!"
"So we'll talk about this tonight," He said, glossing over her comment.
"Connor." She began in complete exasperation as she saw Mr. Carson hobble down her pebbled driveway, "Hi Mr. Carson!" She called across the yard.
"Oh hello, Anna! Fine morning it is! I hope you haven't been waiting long."
"Not at all." She smiled, instantly warming to him as she breezed past Connor.
Mr. Carson continued hobbling past Connor's car and he greeted Connor, "Connor O'Hanley! I didn't see you there! Not surprising," He chuckled, "My eye sight's only getting worse... How have you been my boy? Keeping busy?"
Connor glanced at Anna briefly before answering, "Yes, Mr. Carson, I'm actually trying to convince Anna to charter a boat down to the Caymans for me."
"That sounds like a fun idea... you be careful though," He warned, "A lot of things can happen in that area."
"Oh, we will be." Connor smiled back.
Anna gaped, "Well, we're not so sure I'm even going to go yet..."
"Oh?" Mr. Carson asked his eye brows raised, as he glanced between the two, "So it goes..." He cleared his throat, "I think we should be going, there might be a lot of traffic in the city... I do hate being late."
"Of course, Mr. Carson." Anna agreed, taking him gently by the arm and leading him to the passenger's side of her SUV.
Mr. Carson joked, "Its one doctor's appointment after another at this age... Have a good day, Connor."
"You too, Mr. Carson."
A few hours later, Anna found herself without much work to do. She had called the painters to repaint the house its white color and now, with her schedule cleared for the day for Mr. Carson's appointment, she mulled around..
Unfortunately, as Connor was a persistent person, his car pulled in the driveway just as Anna realized she hadn't the faintest idea what to do with herself.
"You are impossible – you know that?" She complained.
Connor smiled as he sarcastically said, "Why thank you, Anna!"
Anna grimaced and Connor thumped her on the back, apologetically saying, "You set yourself up for that one – anyways," He drawled, "What about the Caymans?"
"What about you calling me a bitch – and then rubbing in the fact that I'm orphaned?" Anna asked.
Connor looked at her, his eyes narrowed and Anna almost thought she was going to squirm under his hard gaze, "I didn't mean that."
Anna sighed lengthily, "Whatever... I still don't want to go. I have other things to do."
"Like what?" Connor demanded.
"Like take Mr. Carson back to the doctors!" She yelled, turning away.
Connor scoffed, "So you're his keeper all of sudden?"
Pivoting around, as she was about to walk away from him, Anna said, "Connor, you are the most self centered son of bitch I have ever known and if you for one moment think I would do anything to help you ever I highly suggest you get yourself a psychological evaluation followed by a secondary opinion."
Connor was about to retort when Anna, now close enough to prod him in the chest, in fact did so, and added, "And Mr. Carson – Connor," She yelled, "Is nearly blind and cannot drive himself..."
"So what!" Connor said, grabbing her by the wrist as she was about to walk away again.
Anna seriously considered slapping Connor soundly across the cheek with her free hand, but checked herself and took a deep breath instead, "Connor, at this point if I were to agree to charter the boat down to the Cayman's, I'd run it aground so you'd rot even if I died in the process."
Connor pulled her closer, lowly saying, "That's not very nice, Anna."
"Well, Connor," She smiled venomously, "As you said, I am a bitch."
Connor inhaled in annoyance, his grip tightening on her wrist, but remained muted.
Anna was adamant in her defiance and did not break eye contact with Connor.
Their silent fight was interrupted as a car pulled up, the window rolled down and the driver poking their head out.
"Connor and Anna?!"
It was Jackie Saunders and Connor and Anna sprung apart, looking guilty.
"How the heck are you two?!" She asked.
Anna cleared her throat and she and Connor answered differently at the same time.
"Bad."
"Fine."
The two glared at each other, but Jackie took no notice, "That's awesome!" She called to them happily, "You two are coming to my house tonight, right?"
"Uhm..." Anna began, but Connor answered with ease.
"Of course, Jacks – we'd never let you down..."
She smiled flirtatiously at Connor, "Super!" She called, "I'm so excited already! Ciao, ciao guys!"
She sped off to her home and Anna glared at Connor, "What the hell was that?"
"What?" Connor asked back, "I just told her we'd go."
Anna scoffed, "Since when do we do anything together?"
Connor looked at her like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Since you agreed to charter my boat."
"Uhm, excuse me," Anna said testily, "I never agreed to anything, let alone go to one of Jackie Saunders's parties."
Connor stared at her, "Anna," He said, "If I have to talk to all the dockmen and the old shits in this town to get you to go – I'll do it."
Anna closed her eyes, Connor always knew where to hit where it hurt the most, "Why me?" She asked him.
"Because I always get what I want." He said quietly, "And I want you to charter my boat to the Cayman's."
"I hate you." Anna said softly before walking to her house.
Connor called out to her calmly, "I'll be back at seven to pick you up."
"I'm driving myself." She retorted stomping up the porch steps.
"No." Connor said, "You're driving the boat, I'm driving you to Jackie's house."
Anna turned around, arms crossed. Never had she seen Connor so adamant. "What do you want?"
"Just a charter to the Caymans." Connor answered, heading back to his car.
Anna called across to him, "You've already extorted me into that – why the party?"
Connor climbed into his car, the window already rolled down, allowing him to stare at her and say as he backed out, "I'll be here at seven."
Anna threw her hands up into the air and slammed her house door shut behind her with a frustrated scream.
What had she just gotten herself into?
A party at Jackie Saunders's and now two weeks with Connor and his stupid friends?
A groan escaped her as she climbed the stairs to shower, She should've just shot herself... surely that would be less painful.
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